Russia has announced Wednesday the end of military maneuvers and the departure of part of his troops of the annexed Ukrainian peninsula crimea, where the presence of the soldiers fueled fears of an invasion of Ukraine. However the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has once again shown his skepticism by assuring that the “coming and going” of troops does not mean withdrawal.
“The units of the southern military district have finished their tactical exercises at the bases on the Crimean peninsula, returning to their permanent bases,” the statement said. russian ministry of defense in a statement quoted by local news agencies. The statement specified that tanks, infantry vehicles and artillery would leave Crimea by train.
The russian television He showed night images of an endless armored train crossing the bridge over the Kertsch Strait, built by Russia to connect Crimea to its territory.
On Tuesday, Moscow announced a “partial” withdrawal of soldiers sent two weeks ago to the border with Ukraine, a sign of de-escalation after two months of invasion fears against the backdrop of a Russo-Western crisis.
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But nevertheless, Europeans and Americans are still waiting for evidence of further Russian military withdrawal, although they say they are cautiously optimistic. Russia has not detailed the magnitude or timing of the withdrawal.
Moscow deployed more than 100,000 soldiers on the Ukrainian borderaccording to Westerners. Meanwhile, Russian-Belarusian military exercises continue until February 20 in Belarus, Ukraine’s pro-Russian neighbor.